Le Bremner is the latest venture by popular local chef Chuck Hughes, star of “Chuck’s Day Off” on the Cooking Channel and chef/owner of  Montreal’s famous Garde Manger. Opened only a few weeks ago in Old Montreal, this amazing seafood eatery is already showing signs of becoming Montreal’s newest hot spot.

Launched with no fanfare, no publicity, no website, and not even an indication of its location, Le Bremner was packed and buzzing on a Saturday night when we stopped by (after making reservations a few weeks in advance). The cool, hip and relax atmosphere and the menu of haute comfort seafood are a reminder of why food-obsessed Montrealers have grown to adore Hughes’s approach to upscale dining – it’s fun, inventive, comes with excellent background music and tastes amazing!

No signage other than ‘Restaurant’ alerts pedestrians of the wonders lurking behind the double doors…

Creamy burrata with sea salt, orange zest and olive oil – this tasty appetizer came with pickled vegetables and homemade chips, yum!

Raw striped bass with pickled radish, mint and pistachios was a unique and successful take on carpaccio.

Scallops tartar…simply sublime!

Oysters of course were a must…one of Chuck’s favorite food and mine as well!

Duck fat roasted new red potatoes

Gratinees garlic mussels.

Cornbread with broiled garlic shrimps.

Asparagus, poached egg and confit tomatoes.

Last treat of the night…homemade jelly donuts with chocolate, strawberry jam and lemon curd, perfect ending to a perfect meal!

We ate on the cute covered terrace in the back with its own bar, intimate lighting and loads of leafy plants – the ambiance was spot on. We had cocktails before dinner that were as creative as the food we ate and all homemade (syrups, juices, flavored liqueur, etc.) and the wine list is also pretty comprehensive. I honestly can’t recommend this place highly enough if you’re looking for a top restaurant experience – go now!!

The Burgundy Lion is a modern take on a traditional British Pub with fancier grubs and an impressive whiskey list. Located close to downtown in the Little Burgundy neighborhood, the ambiance is loungey and more relax than your typical pub – a classic Montreal feel.

A large terrace greets you at the entrance in the summer but we opted for the smaller, cozier terrace inside. To help soak up the alcohol they offer a familiar and hearty menu of fish and chips, bangers and mash, burgers, and a few more original items such as Manchester curry, samosas, chicken tikka masala, roast beef poutine (obviously!), and cucumber and tuna sandwiches.

We only stopped there for a few drinks and appetizers so I can’t speak for the main dishes but the starters were what you’d expect from this kind of establishment – decent in size, OK in taste, just some good honest food to get you drinking more…! We shared the scotch eggs, vegetarian samosas and Oxfordshire green salad (lettuce, pears, walnuts, stilton) with a few Pimm’s Cups and pints of their own Burgundy Lion Ale.

The place gets busy though with the additional terraces in the summer there’s more than enough space for everyone. Overall a good stop for casual drinks with friends and the occasional soccer/hockey game watching in good company.

There seems to be a craze recently for self-serve frozen yogurt places as witnessed by the multiplication of them in New York city, and it looks like Montreal has caught on it as well with the opening of SwUrl on Crescent street.

The concept is simple – you grab a bowl, fill it up with your frozen yogurt flavors of choice, load on your favorite toppings, weigh it, and pay! There are always 8 flavors being served,  four traditional and four flavors of the week. The traditional flavors are plain, vanilla, chocolate, and pomegranate. When I visited the flavors of the week were green tea, taro, lychee, and raspberry. They have served up some pretty original flavors in the past such as bacon, lucky charms, and sriracha hot sauce so if I’d live nearby I’d make sure to pay a regular visit!

The toppings include the traditional stuff like candies, chocolates, and fresh fruits,  as well as a few surprises like wasabi and ruffles chips! I ate a trio of the pomegranate, lychee and green tea flavors with a sprinkle of crushed sugar cones and fresh raspberries and it was deliciously satisfying for such a healthy treat! The lychee particularly was so fresh and tasty I could have had a second serving.

Located in one of the busiest areas of the city, this place is sure to attract its fair share of attention and I’d recommend anyone visiting Montreal to check it out – it’s a lot of fun!

SwUrl Frozen Yogurt
1464 rue Crescent
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Telephone: 514-439-8096